"Whoa!" Niall exclaimed in excitement, his voice hardly audible over the screaming and booming of the fireworks over our heads. The sky burst into colour over and over again, raining down over the ship in a curtain of sparkling embers and ash.
Harry shrieked and whacked a burnt firework off the top of his head. He ducked behind me comically, shielding his head with his arms.
"This sure is a grand departure isn't it Lou," Liam whispered into my ear, staring up at the exploding sky.
"I love fireworks." I grinned, following his gaze.
The boat swayed and rocked as it crashed down a wave and I was tossed clumsily in Liam's direction, stumbling over my feet. The entire ship roared in laughter as Liam caught me by the elbows and they all stumbled around too, like a bunch of drunks we all were.
"Whew, thanks." I smiled at Liam gratefully and straightened up, grabbing onto the side railing in case it happened again. "Guess I haven't got my sea legs just yet."
Liam chuckled and craned his neck as another burst of red splashed vibrantly against the flawless dark canvas above our heads.
My grip on the railing tightened as the ground beneath my feet lurched sideways again. This time I was the only one who seemed to notice anything. Everyone else's feet remained firmly planted on the floor. I hadn't ever been on a boat this big before and it was strange feeling the floor rocking back and forth so unpredictably with the churning water beneath me.
I supposed I'd get used to it; we were on a two week cruise so if I didn't I was in for an awkward time. I couldn't remember whose idea it had been to spend half our two week break on a boat but hey, it was something different.
The night went by quickly, drink after drink. They weren't even alcoholic, well, not the majority of them, but I got pretty pumped up and so did the rest of the lads. It was easy to go crazy when everyone else was. It was a massive boat but quite private, there were only about two hundred other people on board. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to create a mood and I was all for it.
It was early morning by the time the four of us got back to our rooms and I could hardly walk. I was a tad bit drunk and the rocking had me tripping into walls and unable to even almost walk in a straight line.
Liam closed the door behind us and I flopped onto my bed with a grunt as the air raced out of my chest on impact.
Liam laughed at me as I tried to roll over and nearly fell out of bed. I'd never been so uncoordinated and it was tripping me out.
"Just sleeping in that? Can I shut the lights off?" Liam questioned, finger lingering on the switch.
I nodded tiredly and kicked the tucked in blankets down so that I squeeze under them. The bed was made so tight I almost pulled a muscle in my leg. It went dark and I shut my eyes as Liam climbed into his own bed with a brief scuffle and rustle.
Laying down, the movement of the boat made me feel even weirder. I was too tired to stay awake for long thankfully.
***
"Louis! It's breakfast!"
I opened my eyes and immediately gagged, jolting upright in fright.
"Shit, you're good, wait up a sec," Liam encouraged as he hoisted me out of bed and quickly lead me to kneel in front of the toilet. It was quite a tight room but he managed to fit in there with me, one foot inside the shower.
My eyes bulged out as I threw up all the liquid I'd consumed the night before. After I'd flushed all that out some solids came up too and I was left breathing heavily and sweating hot rivulets all over my body.
Liam flushed the toilet and frowned down at me worriedly, "are you okay Lou?"
I just groaned as the boat shifted beneath me yet again, sending my stomach into another nauseous frenzy. This was typical. We were going to be on this damn boat for two weeks and I was seasick. There was no tip-toeing around it, there was no way I could put the vomiting down to a hangover because I'd barely had any alcohol.
"My stomach," I whimpered, kneading my knuckles into my muscles.
"I knew one of us would get seasick," Liam said sympathetically as he helped me onto my feet, "I'm really sorry it's ended up being you Lou."
"Me too. . ." I moaned, leaning heavily on top of Liam and holding on tight to the back of his shirt as the flor continued to tip and teeter underneath me. Liam shuffled us out of the bathroom as slowly as he could and we sat down on the edge of his bed. Even sitting gave my nauseous stomach a hard time, being off my feet didn't make the boat stop rocking.
"How are you feeling now? I think going out for breakfast might help you get some colour back," Liam suggested, his gaze scanning my face up and down. I sighed shortly and nodded, hoping that he was right. Maybe a walk would help me adjust to the boat and I'd feel better.
We put on our shoes and headed out to meet Niall and Harry at the buffet breakfast. After climbing a couple of steps we were on the top most deck and the sick feeling settled down some as the horizon came into view over top of the railing all around the edge of the ship. The sun was glowing brilliantly, already halfway through its ascent into the sky, and there wasn't a single cloud to distract attention away from it. Blue sky and warm winds too.
Liam grabbed onto my arm gently as the boat moved again, "stay close Lou."
"Why is no one else tripping about like I am?" I grumbled, losing my balance yet again.
"That guy is." Liam pointed to a bald man across the deck. Another lurch of the boat and he almost threw himself over the barrier, taking a swift nose dive towards the polished floors. We both snorted and giggled as we made our way over to where Niall and Harry were waiting for us just outside the restaurant.
"Good morning!" Niall greeted cheerfully. Harry just waved, sheltering his eyes from the sun with his hand even though he was already wearing sunglasses.
Liam smiled, "a little hungover are we Styles?"
"Just a tad," Harry grimaced.
My stomach whirled uncomfortable and I doubled over with a groan, arms wrapped around it.
"What's with him?" Niall whispered to Liam as I attempted to straighten up again. I quickly searched the are for somewhere I could run off to throw up if the need did arise. We'd been given strict instructions about not vomiting overboard, it often got on people windows and nobody liked that, so that was out of the question. There was a bin, but it was recycling.
The bathroom was on the other side of the restaurant but it looked like that was going to have to be the emergency exit.
"He's seasick," Liam answered, handing me a cup of water as somebody whisked past with a tray.
I waved the cup in front of my face, watching the water sway from each side with my nose screwed up. It was the reason why I was feeling so disgusting. Stupid swaying water, ruining my holiday.
"Try drinking some," Liam prompted, obviously noticing my reluctance.
""I'd rather be seasick that hungover," Harry nudged my back gently as we went inside and attached to the back of the queue. Now that the light was dimmer he lifted his glasses on to the top of his head and exposed his blood shot eyes.
I shook my head, "no way, I'd take a hangover over this any day."
A sour burp rose in my chest as I served myself a small portion of scrambled eggs. The queasy feeling reared up for a quick moment and I stepped away from the food, scared I was going to be sick. It passed soon enough and Liam pulled me back into line, putting a piece of toast onto my plate.
I followed the lads to a table in the corner. Niall was complaining because he wanted to sit out in the sun but Harry had a headache and we were closer to the bathroom if we stayed inside so he didn't have much say.
"You good Lou?" Liam asked quietly as I hesitantly swallowed another mouthful of eggs.
I simply shrugged in response and sat my fork down. The churning in my stomach was beginning to pick up pace and I wasn't sure of I could handle eating anything else.
Five minutes later everyone was still eating but I knew I needed to leave. There were so many people in the restaurant, if I didn't start getting to a bathroom soon I was going to embarrass myself.
"I need to get past you," I said, standing to moved behind Liam's chair. My stomach growled threateningly under my hands. I felt hot again, and judging by the look on Liam's face I didn't look great either.
He shuffled his chair forwards and I slid between the gap.
"Do you need me to come with you, I can if you'd li-"
I'd seriously misjudged how much time I had left. Liam didn't even get to the end of his sentence before I bent in half and threw up, nausea coursing through me in hyper drive mode. My body wracked with heaved and shudders as I gasped over the steaming puddle of spew on the floor between my legs.
People watched with both sympathy and disgust, not sure of how to react. Most of the other cruisers were older people who'd probably been on hundreds of cruise ships, they were perfectly used to being on the water and I was jealous.
"That's it, just get your breath back. Don't worry about anything else." Liam rubbed my back and used a cloth one of the staff had just given him to wipe the beard sweat off my face.
"You're not the first, the ocean gets to people often. Don't be embarrassed," the staff member assured. I couldn't help feeling humiliated anyway, everyone was looking at me now.
I wiped my mouth on my shirt sleeve and trembled hard as I cuddled closer to Liam's side. I'd surely fall over if I didn't hang onto to something and I needed someone to escort me to the bathroom before I added to what I'd already awarded the floor with.
"Gonna be sick again," I whimpered.
Liam apologised briskly for the mess I'd just made and then took me to the bathroom. I staggered over the sink and coughed hard as more of my insides struggling come up.
"Not there Lou." Liam shook his head and directed me quickly to the toilet, in case I burst on the way.
It didn't take long for me to start vomiting all over again and the nausea was just so strong that it didn't stop for the next twenty five minutes. My stomach kept rolling every time the sea moved and every time I thought I might've actually been finally done I would heave and throw up again.
Liam rubbed my back comfortingly and offered me water when I had time to breathe but my real lifesaver came in the form of the bald man we'd seen smash his face into the floor earlier. He knocked on the door and offered seasick tablets, and entire box of them. Apparently they'd been for his wife until she left him, but he was chipper about it because he'd brought a young brunette on the cruise instead and he was having the time of his life.
Anyway, I had tablets. I took two and fell asleep on the bathroom floor, much to Liam's unhappiness. The last thing I heard before drifting off was him begging me to walk back to the room first.
I woke up later in my bed in Liam's and mine room with my sheets tucked in and everything. Those pills must've been great quality because they'd worked and now I was actually feeling quite a lot better than before.
"Hey."
I hadn't noticed before, but Liam was sitting on his own bed scrolling on his phone and playing solitaire on the mattress in front of him.
"Hi," I yawned as sat up and stretched my arms up. My back clicked.
"You seem refreshed," Liam said with a smile.
"Yeah, I feel it. Those pills are amazing. Where are the others?"
Liam sat up and shuffled his cards, "out playing badminton on the top deck, as far as I know."
I frowned, "why did you stay here with me then?"
"Because you weren't well, I'm not that bad of a friend Louis. Somebody had to stay with you and I was more than happy to," Liam replied.
"Well, or was nice of you," I said. "Do you want to go find them now?"
Liam raised a dark brow, "you're feeling that much better?"
I shrugged and nodded, "yeah. I'm bored now."
"Okay then. But you've got to take it easy, you've thrown up a fair amount today so you're bound to be tired."
"Yes sir." I gave him a mock salute and jumped out of bed. I downed another one of bald dudes magic pills and grinned widely at Liam, "let's go kick their asses! I ruled at badminton."
"Ever played?"
"No."
So this isn't for 10Rosa10, I know, I know. I got in touch with her though and she said it's okay for me to leave it out like the lovely person she is. There are very few requests I turn away but it was super complicated and I don't have any time for researching right now sadly. It's probably impossible, but I really want to get this book finished with 200 chapter by December second, just before I go away. I'm going to do my best, we'll see how it turns out 😂
Next request for: onedirection_niall2